The invention generally relates to a dispenser for dispensing vehicles from a carrier and, more particularly, to a dispenser for dispensing multiple spacecraft from a launch vehicle.
Many launch vehicles utilized to carry a payload into outer space have been designed to carry a plurality of such payloads in order to minimize the launch costs of the payload. This not only reduces total fuel expenditure costs but also enables a single launch vehicle to place a plurality of satellites into orbit, thereby making such space-based systems such as satellites more cost-effective for commercial use.
Many conventional missiles are capable of ejecting multiple warheads or submissiles therefrom when proximal to a target in order to mole effectively and/or completely destroy the target. An example of such a missile is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,229 to Schock. The Schock system includes a plurality of segments mounted in the nose cone of the missile which are capable of rotating approximately 170 degrees in order to allow projectiles to be ejected from the nose cone by the high degree of rotation of the segments. The Schock missile system includes levers having pins which slide in slots provided in the missile casing to produce the rotation of the missile segments. However, a disadvantage of the Schock system is that the centrifugal forces which are required to eject the projectiles in the lever/pin arrangement are not sufficiently consistent or predictable to provide sufficient precision for use in dispensing space vehicles such as satellites, etc. In addition, the Schock system requires a headwind striking the missile in flight to produce the radial rotation of the segments outward for ejection of the projectiles. However, a headwind is not available in systems designed for space use. In addition, the systems necessary to produce rotation of the missile required to effect the centrifugal force ejection of the projectiles would significantly add to both the complexity and weight of the space vehicle system.
Other prior art missile systems provide individual ejection of submissiles therefrom. An example of such a prior art missile system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,646 to Pinson. The Pinson system uses a gas-operated piston which rotates a pivoted tube outwardly to permit ejection of the submissile away from the carrier missile. A restraint structure is provided to limit the degree of movement of the launching tube when in its activated position. However, a primary disadvantage of the Pinson system is that it requires a power-generating means such as a gas-generating device or a pyrotechnic charge to perform the desired ejection of the submissiles and rotation of the launch tube. Such power-generating subsystems may involve or require undue amounts of power and/or result in contamination of the surrounding space environment which may impair performance of sensitive computer and other systems in the space vehicle.
What is therefore needed is a dispenser system using passive space vehicle release subsystems and separation structures which do not release fragments thereof into the environment. In addition, such a dispenser system is also needed which does not produce contaminants such as combustion products.